Family Favorite

On Friday, July 1, we took the kids to the Drive In here in Idaho Falls. The kids were very excited since this is something we did in Boise all the time. We didn't go at all last year and decided that it was time to go again. We went and watched Cars 2 and Pirates 4. We went with our neighbors, the Watts. They have 4 cute kids and it's always fun to share these fun times with others!

We usually stay awake for both movies, no problems. Let's just say that these pictures show our awake time. I'm going to chalk it up to playing so hard the past month or so. Everyone but the girls stayed awake for all of Cars 2. Then those that were left awake drifted in and out of sleep through Pirates. Except Braydon. He was our trooper!

Here they all are in the Denali before I let them out to go play!
Of course, this big guy was so excited to be out and about!

These 3 are such great friends! I love that they can hang out so well with each other. They sure know how to have a great time and they are pretty silly.

We can't wait for the next trip to the Drive In! We'll have to take a nap before we go next time though!

Random Items

A few misc. pictures from June.

We had a baseball tournament in Pocatello May 13-14. These were the only pictures I got from that tourney due to a dead battery on my camera. It was a nice day on Friday and then on Saturday we wore jackets for most of the day. Justin's mom and sister were able to come up on Friday and spend the day with us at the games. On Saturday my mom came up to his games.

The sunburn was from the day before. You gotta love living in Idaho and having it be sunburn weather one day and jacket weather the next!

One morning it happened to be just Mayci, Cooper and I at home (I can't remember where everyone else was!!). While I was in the shower, Mayci was busy creating her own fort! When I got out, she told me to be careful and not wreck her fort.

This was her bedroom. The washcloths were her walking path to her bedroom.

This was the rest of her fort! What an imagination that child has!!

Mayci loves to have me take pictures of her. This was taken on the last day of school. I had gotten pictures of the other kids that day but didn't get one of her. So, we took a few pics of her to help her feel included! What a doll!

Braydon has shown an interest in drawing things this past year. He came home one day and showed this to us. I was very impressed with what he was capable of drawing.

Braydon's farm

Another Ending

My kids were excited and sad to see the last day of school happen. They each had such great teachers and didn't want to leave them for the summer! We are hoping that Kenzie gets the same teacher for 3rd grade that Madison had.

Here's Kenzie with her teacher, Mrs. Clayson.
We made it to Madison's class and spent some time playing some games with the kids in her class. Mayci just LOVES to go to the kids' school. All the kids just ooh and aah over Mayci and also Cooper. Madison had fun running around with Mayci playing 4 corners and a few other games.

Here is Madison with Miss C. (Christensen). They looked like big Boise State Fans!!

When I came into Braydon's class, he asked to hold Cooper and that was all it took to get every girl in his class to gather around him. I took this picture about 30 seconds too late. By the time I realized what was going on, I grabbed my camera and most of the kids had left to get their bags to leave for the day. I don't know if they were hanging out because of Cooper or if they are all in love with Braydon! It could be both!

Braydon with his 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Cook!

They all came out of the school year with all A's (maybe one b) and their teachers couldn't say enough good about each of them. They are all great students and I love that they enjoy school. It helps when they have such great teachers.

2 Months

My baby at 2 months old:

He weighed 11 lbs. 6 oz.
He was 23 1/2 inches long
He started smiling and talking- ALOT!!!
He sleeps through the night (10pm-5am) for most nights.
The kids still fight over who gets to hold him.

He loves to make faces and the kids like to watch all of his reactions.

Deep in conversation with mom. This is a favorite thing to do- for both of us!!

1+1+1=Silly

Braydon has been playing many baseball games and we've all made it to most of his games. Back in May, one of his games was played in Idaho Falls. We like the park that he plays at because the girls can play on the playground and also roll down a hill. They spend most of the time playing while Justin, Austin and I watch the game. They get pretty silly and after this one particular game, we needed to stop at Sam's club on our way home. We waited, patiently, in the truck while Justin ran in real quick.

Cooper does great at the games and sleeps through most of them. He slept through the girls getting pretty crazy!
We don't all fit in Justin's truck but we like to go in his truck. The 5 older kids all sit in the back and it's pretty much trouble when you put these 3 girls together like this. This is a picture of them acting somewhat normal. Then they get sillier and sillier!!

Braydon was worn out after this game. It was a warm day, finally!

Totally a teenager look! He doesn't like sitting in a vehicle when the girls start acting this way!

I love seeing my girls with so much excitement and energy! Now, if only that could rub off onto their mom!!

Love This

He learned how to smile about 2 weeks ago and it's just getting cuter every day!! We almost have him laughing now and it's getting so much harder to put him down each day. With the kids out of school, this handsome little guy doesn't get put down very often.

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, being a mom!!!

Family

Justin and I have been blessed with great family members who support us so often. Braydon had a game in Logan that first weekend in June. We had Grandma/pa Brower, Grandma/pa Pugmire and Tyler, Bridget and their kids come and watch his games.
We had our canopy and sportsbrella set up and everyone stayed cool and shaded. We also all brought fruit to snack on for lunch/snacks. Oh so yummy!!

Grandma Brower brought her iPad and Austin spent some time playing it (all the kids had a turn with it actually.)

Grandpa kept trying to knock Austin's hat off of his head for the picture. We got one picture with his hat on his head! Grandpa is such a tease!

Tyla is Mayci's age and those girls played pretty hard. My kids love spending time with their cousins. We don't do it enough though!

Be Strong and of Good Courage

What an experience!! For everyone!
Grandma and Grandpa Brower, Cooper, Austin Grandpa and Grandma Edstrom, Madison and Kenzie after the play on Friday night!

3 of my kids tried out for and performed in our Stake play called "Be Strong and of Good Courage". It was performed on June 17 and 18. Madison played the part of Bodil Mortensen -a child that was on her own from England?? and didn't speak English very well. She ended up dying on the trail. Kenzie played the part of Debra Barnes and also an angel. She died as well. Austin played a couple of parts- James Mellor and also a rescuer. The play was taken from an actual diary and it was so well done. It was about the Willie Martin Handcart company and the trials they dealt with. We all shed many tears while we watched it.

There was one part when they were crossing the Rocky Ridge and the members of the handcart company were wondering how they were going to make it. They were dressed in rags and low on food. Many were dying or had died. Then these angels come onto the stage (one of them being Kenzie) and help the pioneers cross the mountain. What an amazing scene. Everytime I think of that I get teary eyed. It was such a great play. The songs were well done and all of the cast sang so well!!

Here are my cute girls before the play!
Madison, Kenzie and McKinley (Kenzie best friend).

My kids trying to be serious

Being goofy!

I love that my kids are willing to try new things and this was something new! They were sad when the play was over and asked when the next one was going to be. I'm going to have to find another play somewhere else soon. It was fun to see my kids perform!

There is a movie that just came out called "17 Miracles" that is the same story as this play. We went and watched it and enjoyed seeing the characters that my kids played. All of my kids loved the movie and I think we all cried while watching that too!